Giver excerpt
by FunkyIsMyMiddleName
Summary: LOOOOOOOOONG ONE-SHOT my take on the sequel. my writing teacher assingned it


**Giver Chapter Excerpts**

**By: Carolyn Levi**

**Chapter one excerpt: JONAS POV (point of view)**

It's been a few years since I escaped the Community with Gabe. I am homesick of my careless days, missing the Giver, Lily, Mother, Father, Asher, and Fiona, everyone that I left behind. My friends and family at the community have yet to come, not that I wish to put them in this life, they wouldn't be prepared. I had memories, experienced pain; I know what I am up against. Because, while happy that I saved the Community from themselves, I sometimes wish that life wouldn't be as hard as it is. This new community, called Glenville, is the real world. There is no easy way out; everyone has to pull his or her own weight. My speech has changed dramatically. I have grown long and lean with planting and harvesting. I couldn't imagine having to do this a few years ago, working to live, but almost everything is different here, everything changed.

**Chapter two excerpt: JONAS POV**

The town's name is Glenville, and boy, is it different. We are almost constantly having trouble with what the villagers call 'animals'. They have been attacking the citizens, eating our food, while most of the time we are eating them as well. It's all about the food chain here. At first I was disgusted at the thought of eating fellow living things, but I learned to accept it.

Death is different here too, while in the community we were content and never asked questions, Glenville's inhabitants grieve when a life is lost. They hold sessions when the body is viewed and they tell the stories of the corpse's life and great feats that they had done. Sometimes I even see the little ones shed tears, especially the loved ones of the deceased. I could imagine how hard it is on them, because everyone has to pull their own weight everyday to support themselves and their families. I once saw an 8-year-old boy selling produce by himself in the rain, desperate for a trade. I would hate for Gabe to have to do that, and that's the main reason that I don't turn back and return to the community, because of Gabe. He's growing older, now at six years of age; he has been wondering more and more about where he came from.

What's worse is that I'm starting to doubt my ability to make good choices for him.

**Chapter three excerpt: GABE POV**

Hello, my name is Gabriel, and I am six years old and that Jonas, who is like a father to me, brought me here on a trip to escape where I came from. That's basically all that I know about myself. I don't even know _where_ I came from. That's what's so frustrating. Could you imagine not knowing your own history? Not knowing your own _mother_? Most adults expect children like me to just stay quiet and not ask questions, they think we are just coming out of the cry-all-the-time, drool-everywhere stage. But I can't blame them; a hard life must have drained the memories out of them. But I am also more mature than most of my friends. Probably because I have Jonas to look after me, and he still contains his child years in him, and the knowledge that he has memorized from the school that he went to. The school that I would probably be going to if I hadn't been brought along on that cold, miserable journey. Oh, why did I have to be cursed with ignorance?

**Chapter four excerpt: JONAS POV**

Spring is usually a fun time of the year. The birds are singing, the weather is getting warmer, and everyone's happy. Right? Wrong. Here, spring time requires more labor and work than almost any other season, for there are animals to hunt, livestock to feed, and oh the plants! So many plants to grow! From the herb gardens to heal the sick, to the corn and hay for everyday use, to the produce that we cannot live without. But not all is normal, because as I am carrying buckets of water to my small cottage that I share with Gabe, I see a flash of brilliantly red hair coming from behind the gates. Now, I have only been here for a few years, but I am pretty sure that no one has that brightly colored hair. So I set down my pails and ran over to the town gate, and I couldn't believe my eyes.

**Chapter five excerpt: JONAS POV**

Fiona? But how could she have made it all by herself? I was so shocked that I didn't realize the first few times that she asked me to open the gate. I finally got my wits back together and unlatched and opened the gate. Immediately she tackled me with a massive bear hug. But I was caught off guard so I stumbled down, and she went down with me. But it wasn't so much that she was here, I knew one of them would come sooner or later, despite the fact that they shouldn't, but I was more surprised that she actually hugged me. A few years ago, if she had done that, she would have been chastised. This was surely a sign that they were successfully growing apart from our original ways.

**(One Week Later)**

I have shown Fiona the modest cottage that Gabe and I live in, and it's not much, but we still find room for her to sleep on the floor in the sad excuse for a kitchen we have.

Life is just about to get a whole lot harder with Fiona.

**Chapter six excerpt: FIONA POV**

"But you have to come, it hurts me to see you so ignorant" I urge him.

"How could you even _say _that, you grew up with Jonas, and he know what's best for me! Not you!" Gabe exclaims.

It was about midnight, and I was in Gabe's room, trying to convince him to come back to the community with me, so I don't have to go back alone and live the life of someone who has to be put under pressure for life. But Gabe refuses to go, he says he has friends that he has a home, but I can see the longing in his eyes.

"We don't even have to stay for long, if you don't like it, we can always turn back."

I can see the doubt in his eyes.

"I can't just leave. It's not that simple" he says

"Fine, I guess you want to be left ignorant for the rest of your life, not knowing who you really are."

With that I turn on my heel and make my way slowly to the door.

But Gabriel stops me.

"Well, I guess we could stay for a while, if we can leave when I want."

I let a smile spread across my face. "Good, we leave tomorrow at dawn.

**Chapter seven excerpt: GABE POV**

I make my way to the gate, with Fiona leading the way. No one is up yet, for the sun has barley raised.

But as we are about to unlatch the bolts, I hear a pair of feet behind me.

"Now Gabe, what do you think you're doing?" says Jonas as I turn slowly around.

I see that he is trying to hide how surprised and mad that he was.

"I-uhh…" but Fiona puts the words in my mouth, well; more like shoves them down my throat.

"He wants to get away from this life you put him in, so he is leaving with me, discussion ended." And with that she takes my arm and practically rips my arm off while sprinting out the gate.

And I left the place that was my home for six years, leaving Jonas with a shocked face, and a broken heart.

**Chapter eight excerpt: JONAS POV**

What was I supposed to do? I did everything for him; he had friends, a home, people who cared about him. I gave him everything I had. My memories, my food, my contentment, my protection. He was happy here, but then Fiona comes along and he all of a sudden _leaves_? It doesn't make sense. He barley even _knew_ her**.** What did she have to offer that I didn't? But I was more worried about whether they would be healthy at the end of the journey? Gabe weighed only a measly 50 pounds and they don't even have a bike. There were bears and the spring brought the most brutal weather.

But one question will always remain:what made Gabe leave?

I may never know.

**Chapter nine excerpt: FIONA POV**

Regret, that's all that I see in his eyes, I can see that the wants to leave this deserted wasteland. For even though it looks exactly the same, the population is down to about twenty. He told me he wants to leave, that I'm leading his life. Can't he see I'm protecting him from a life of work and pain? But more than that, I don't want to leave, for I am not ready to apologize to Jonas for convincing Gabe to come. We have not found the Records on his mother or his real identity. And it seems like we never will. But today I walk to the elder house to speak of an easy-going job for Gabe. I keep asking him for 'just one more week', but that has turned into months, and I can tell he is on the verge of imploding with anger. As I ask for the job of Fish Hatchery Attendant. But as I ask I see Gabe come through the doors and his face begin to turn red with a murderous look in his eyes.

What have I done?!

**Chapter ten excerpt: GABE POV**

A _job_? What was she _thinking_? I tell her I want to leave and she tries to make things more complicated. I will leave Fiona. I must, otherwise she'll just keep me locked up in this life that I don't want anymore. I will leave her broken hearted, but she made me leave the person that has been my idol since I could feel that way.

So I sling my food and supply bag over my shoulder, and begin the long journey to Glenville. I must have stayed here for linger than I had planned, because the name sounded foreign in my mouth. So let's begin.

**TWO WEEKS LATER.**

I am cold, I feel sick, and I am only what I judge to be three-quarters there. But as I finish climbing the steep hill, I see hope in the horizon.

Glenville.

**Chapter eleven excerpt: JONAS POV**

I'm at the table pointlessly eating the remains of my dinner, when I hear the door squeak open. I couldn't imagine who would be coming to my house at this time of the night, but I get up anyway and stroll to the door.

My heart almost stopped beating. There, looking worse than even when he was sick as a baby, was Gabe. He was a good four inches taller, and had lost enough weight to make his ribs and knees look considerably more noticeable. He is also alone. Suddenly I find myself crying with joy and rage. _How could he have done this to me? _But at the same time, _he is alive and home again. _He walks over and I consume him in a hug. "G-d, don't do that ever again" I beg.

"I wont don't worry" Gabe reassures me.

There will be no sadness tonight. No regret of the past. For he is back, and my life has been reborn.

**Chapter twelve excerpt: GABE POV**

It has been a week since I have come back to Glenville. I received a warm welcome from all of my friends and teachers. After debating with myself, I decided that I would leave Fiona to deal with the mess that she left herself. Jonas has forgiven me for leaving him once I explained that Fiona didn't give me much of a choice. That it was the biggest mistake that I have ever made

When I see how much I have here. A house, friends, Jonas who protects me, and an education. I realize that if I keep trying to hold onto my past, I can never move onto the future.

And so my life moves on.


End file.
